1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing means for a computer enclosure, particularly to a locking bracket for fixing a drive housing to a computer enclosure chassis and the method of assembling the drive housing and locking bracket with the computer enclosure.
2. The Prior Art
Personal computers commonly utilize Disc Operating System (DOS) based hardware to organize and access information stored in the computer, such as software programs and files. The main components of a DOS-based system are hard disc drives formed from heavy electromagnetic material which store the information. A drive housing for receiving and securely fixing the hard disc drives, floppy disc drives, and a CD-ROM must be stably mounted to a chassis of the computer enclosure.
Prior art fixing means for mounting the drive housing of the computer to the chassis utilize a variety of different components including at least a number of brackets and mounting screws extending through corresponding holes defined in the brackets, drive housing and chassis and threadedly engaging with nuts thereby allowing the brackets to support the drive housing within the chassis. Such fixing means have previously been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,112,119, 5,164,886 and 5,447,367.
Since this mounting method requires the creation of a number of holes and the proper alignment of the brackets before insertion of the screws and engagement with the nuts, assembly becomes laborious and time-inefficient thus increasing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, if the disc drives or CD-ROM require service due to a malfunction thereof, access is troublesome since the screws, nuts and brackets must all be completely removed before the disc drives and CD-ROM can be withdrawn for inspection and repair.
Hence, there is a need for a simplified drive housing fixing means to eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks of existing mounting mechanisms.